#41: LIFE IS SHORT, BEAUTIFUL & UNFAIR
This Week: Lessons Learned Recently, Some For The First Time
~4 Min
MY NEW FRIEND MICHAEL is a visionary technologist and visited with me about the explosion of human flourishing enabled by AI. This is an era of cognitive abundance. He describes a world where human growth and progress accelerate rapidly. Nothing to be afraid of, Michael says the biggest barrier you face is latching onto a mindset that no longer serves you.
I asked Michael about the human struggle that comes with the adoption of new technologies. He had three memorable statements:
Once again, we are all baptized with humility.
We want progress. We despise change.
Tell AI to build something tiny and it will. Tell it to build a cathedral and it will do that as well.
IF YOU LOSE YOUR HEALTH, YOU HAVE NOTHING. When my health is good, I hardly even think about it. When something is off, I obsess. I remind myself of the above and I recommit to what I can control.
LIFE IS UNFAIR. MY FRIEND BILL died last week. When I think about aging gracefully, I think about Bill. Bill was happily married, an active traveler and a thoughtful conversationalist. Bill was also a successful entrepreneur in the staffing and wine business. Bill worked out often. We connected over basketball, a love we shared. Bill and I were occasional work and social friends, and I saw him 3-4x a year for the better part of a decade. I enjoyed Bill’s company.
About six months ago, something changed. Bill’s health was in decline. The frustration on his face said it all - a mix of defiance and sadness. It is one thing to think “they should have taken better care of themselves.” It is another to see someone whose health was a priority and witness an unexplainable decline.
The day before Bill died, he gave a speech to a civic group I attend. He needed assistance to the lectern. His remarks touched on advice for any entrepreneur, which I promptly wrote down to share in NTL.
Have a vision. Live out that vision each day.
During the “fake it to make it” stage, use as much marketing and promotion as you can to validate your vision.
Solid advice.
I’ll miss Bill, and my reflection is simple:
Do your best with whatever time you have and realize the end is unpredictable, and in many (most?) cases, unfair. Come to grips with that now.
YOUTH SPORTS IS CRAZY. That’s it. That’s the post.
But I have more to say! I had a boy on my 7th grade AAU basketball team quit. The parents did not talk to me. I found out through the grapevine they were leaving for a team we recently beat. So I called and spoke to both parents. They gave me the following feedback:
Their son wasn’t playing enough minutes or starting like he was earlier in the season.
I showed “favoritism” to other boys because of non-basketball factors.
Their son had more talent than other boys.
It was important for him to change teams in order to “not fall behind.”
This wasn’t a “personal issue with me,” but they needed to do “what was best for their family.”
He is the youngest kid on my team and is only in 6th grade. He has not started puberty yet still very talented. A great kid, he was playing the appropriate amount of minutes for his current development stage and effort level.
I’ll miss coaching this boy, and my reflection is simple:
Whatever your kids commit to, stick it out if at all possible. The entire point of youth sports is to simulate struggle in a safe environment. Safely struggling is what creates resilience, which is what all of us want for our children as they navigate an unfair world.
PETE CHAMBERS is a successful entrepreneur in his late 50’s. Earlier this week, Pete talked to a small group of us about the importance of a plan for the second half of life. There are many resources available, including some I’ve discussed on NTL previously like the Modern Elder Academy, Arthur Brooks From Strength to Strength, Halftime by Bob Buford, and David Brooks The Second Mountain.
There are five characteristics of those who finish life great:
Purpose - A clear understanding of purpose for your life.
Encouragement - Surrounding yourself with a variety of sources of encouragement.
Adaptable - Becoming more flexible, not less.
Family-First - A written plan on priorities that aligns with your spouse and children.
Health - A constant journey to be cared for and nurtured throughout your life.
There are three characteristics in the second half of life to watch out for that destroy joy and happiness:
Comfort
Complacency
Complexity
Conscious resistance is the key to overcoming each.
JUDAH AND THE LION is one of my favorite bands. My friend Clay took me to their show last week. Judah is the lead singer and said something profound during the show:
“What would your life look like if you used surrender as an offensive weapon?”
MY FRIEND TIM IS IN HIS MID SIXTIES and is a cancer survivor. He is so successful in business and has kids and grandkids that he adores. Tim’s purpose is to live a peaceful life.
A challenge for you: Think about someone you know who is finishing well and someone who is not. What can you learn from both?
Faith improves my life. Here is a verse I like from the Bible:
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
A QUOTE WORTH READING:
“People now have two lives, life one and life two, and they are over prepared for life one and under prepared for life two and there is no university for the second half of life.”
~IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR MINDSET~
These continue to be relevant and impactful. Way to go.
Fight. Finish. Faith.